


Cafe Question

by saucytuggles



Category: Midnight Poppy Land (Webcomic)
Genre: Flash Fic, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:22:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27712657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saucytuggles/pseuds/saucytuggles
Summary: Tora has a question.(After Episode 57 of MPL.)
Relationships: Tora/Poppy Wilkes
Comments: 72
Kudos: 111
Collections: Tiger Bites





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This little fic is part of the Tiger Bites collection. I don't think AO3 lets you subscribe to a collection, darn it, but here's the link:  
> https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Tiger_Bites
> 
> The purpose of the collection is to do tiny, frequent MPL/AB fics to give everybody little shots of Narin to get us through the post-first season MPL hiatus. (See "profile" on the Tiger Bites page.) Also anyone can submit tiny fics to Tiger Bites, so feel free to add one!

Tora felt out of place in the sunny cafe where Gyu worked. He looked at the lists of drink options carefully scratched in tiny chalk letters on the many blackboards hanging behind the counter. Gyu looked at him expectantly.

“Ah, just pick something for me. You know what I like.” Tora turned and went to sit with Quincey, who was already nursing a sophisticated looking coffee with elaborate designs drawn in the foam.

Gyu materialized with a tall glass filled with ice and sparkling red liquid. Tora didn’t question him about the drink, just handed him a bill. “I don’t want change,” he said, and turned back to Quincey.

“Thanks, Big Bro.” Gyu disappeared behind the counter.

Quincey started talking about the characters in his book, but Tora had trouble concentrating on his voice. He thought back to that kiss in the club. His emotions flared, both desire and the sting of rejection. One thought harried his mind, like a loose tooth.

“Damn it,” he said out loud, interrupting Quincey. “I need to know.”

“Need to know what?” Quincey asked.

“Do I really taste like a fucking cigarette?”


	2. Chapter 2

He looked at Quincey. “How would I know if I taste like cigarettes?”

Quincey looked nonplussed. “You mean like in a kiss?”

Tora was exasperated. “Of course in a kiss. What the hell else would I be talking about?”

“Well,” Quincey looked at the table. “Obviously the only way to tell would be if someone kisses you and tells you. I mean, you can’t taste yourself. Clearly.” 

“Shit.” Tora sat, fuming. 

“Ah, if —someone— has already told you that, why wouldn’t you just believe them?” Quincey looked like he was tiptoeing through a delicate and dangerous garden. “You could, um, carry mints perhaps? And have one after you have a smoke?”

Tora glared at him and Quincey shrank in his chair. “I’ve kissed her three times and didn’t get any complaints on the first two. So is she making excuses or it is a problem? I need to know.” 

“Okaaaaaaay,” Quincey said. “There’s plenty of girls at the club, probably Candy wouldn’t mind—“

Tora banged the table. Quincey jumped. “I’ve got enough problems in my life without kissing Candy for chrissakes.” He looked thoughtful. “It needs to be someone I trust and who can keep their mouth shut.” Tora looked at Quincey.

“Nope,” Quincey’s hands flew up, palms out, to stop Tora's next thought. “I love you like a brother, I would do almost anything for you, but that’s a nope.” 

Tora looked down at his hands. “It isn’t a fucking romance thing, I just need to know what she’s talking about.” 

“But Tora, to find that out requires, you know,” Quincey lowered his voice. “ _Tongue_.”

“I know that! Fuck! Just be quick!” 

“Oh, God,” Quincey ruffled his hair. “No. But if it’s this important to you, and you absolutely have to know, I think we both know the man for the job.” He turned and raised a hand. 

“Gyu!”


	3. Chapter 3

Gyu approached them, wiping his hands in his apron. “What is it now?” he asked.

Quincey glanced at Tora. “Ah, Tora needs you to assess…the ah, flavor…of his mouth.”

Gyu’s jaw dropped. “Ehhhhh???”

Quincey quickly explained the situation, then turned to Tora. “That is what you want, right?”

“It sounds stupid the way you say it,” Tora grumbled.

“First off, I’m at work here. Second off, NO.” Gyu turned to go.

Quincey cleared his throat and Gyu turned back with a sigh. “Look, you smoke, Big Bro, of course you taste like cigarettes.”

“She didn’t say anything before.”

Gyu felt the pressure to get back behind the counter. “Well, had you just lit up?”

“No.” Tora twisted in his chair, frustrated. “I just wanted a second opinion, to see if she was making that up, but this is bullshit.”

“Just help him out, Gyu,” Quincey’s tone was wheedling. “It will take less than a second, and I’ll make it worth your while.”

“Jesus, Quincey, it’s too much.” Gyu was turning red. “Plus I’m at work if you hadn’t noticed.”

Quincey rolled his eyes. “There’s no need to make a production out of it. The cafe is almost empty now. Just go into the men’s room for a single second, lick his face, and answer his question.”

“Never mind,” said Tora glumly. “What the hell was I thinking? She’s probably right, I taste like shit.”

“Damn it.” Gyu looked at Quincey, who was suppressing a grin. “I want a raise.”

“Oh, you’ll get bonus pay,” Quincey assured him airily.

“Fuck bonus pay, I want hazard pay.” Gyu turned toward the restrooms. “Well come on, I don’t have all day.”

“You heard the man,” Quincey said.

Tora rose to his feet slowly. “Not sure about this now.”

“Your self-esteem is on the line, my friend. Think of it this way. You’ll have your answer.” Quincey raised his coffee cup to his lips. “Really, it’s for science.” 


	4. Chapter 4

The air in the men’s room was chilly. Tora and Gyu stood under the bright lights, surrounded by the strong smell of industrial cleaner with incongruous overtones of vanilla.

“Okay, you really want me to do this?” Gyu shifted from foot to foot.

“I need to know.” Tora gritted his teeth and leaned down. “Just hurry up, Ronzo.”

“Well open your mouth, damn it,” Gyu said. “And after this you never get to call me Ronzo again.”

Gyu took a deep breath and tilted forward. Being this close to Big Bro’s face was intimidating even for him.

“Close your eyes, you’re scaring me,” he said.

“This isn’t romance, and I'm not closing my eyes. Just hurry it up.” Tora said, and opened his mouth.

Their faces came together with excruciating slowness, until they were less than an inch apart. Gyu forced himself to keep his eyes open.

“Well, you smell like a cigarette,” Gyu said. “If you smell like one, you probably taste like one.”

“Right.” Tora said. “That’s good enough. She wasn’t lying.”

The bathroom door flipped open, banging Gyu hard in the ass and flinging him forward. His mouth landed on Tora’s, who automatically grabbed Gyu’s arms to stop his fall.

A short grandpa with oversized wire-rimmed glasses peered up at them as they jumped apart. “What on earth are you boys doing?” Fred Lam took in the scene. “There are love hotels for this, you know.” He looked closer at Tora. “Don’t I know you, young man?”


	5. Chapter 5

Tora shifted uncomfortably. “’S'not what it looks like,” he muttered.

Mr. Lam huffed. “I remember, the painting! You delivered Miss Poppy's painting. I encouraged you to have dignity and self-respect, young man. Self-respect does not include canoodling in public restrooms! Whatever would Miss Poppy think of your behavior? And you, sir,” he turned to Gyu, gesturing to his apron. “At your place of employment! I am going to have to have a word with the owner.”

Gyu sighed heavily, giving Tora a glare. “So much for this job. Well at least I’m about to get a fat bonus at my _other_ job. Guess I’ll go finish my shift.”

They slunk out of the restroom to find Quincey hiding behind a magazine. “We need to leave,” he said to Tora. “I saw the Giant Goldfish client in here, and I don’t want to talk to him.”

"Yeah, we saw him too," Tora said. 

Quincey considered their guilty expressions. “So you got an answer?" He smirked. “Was Poppy right? Do you taste like a cigarette?”

“Yes, he does.” Gyu said shortly. “It’s like licking an ashtray. Get some damn mints.”

Quincy beamed at them. “Well, now you know. Do you feel better?”

Tora reflected. “Nah. Means I have to buy some fucking gum.” He turned to leave.

“Get gum with a scent girls love, like mint or coconut,” Quincey said helpfully.

“Not strawberry again,” added Gyu.

“I have a 'new car smell' spray,” Quincey suggested. “You could just spray that in your mouth.”

“Fuck both of ya,” Tora growled, walking away. “I’m out.”

In the parking lot he brought out his phone, and grumbled into it. "Put on to-do list: coconut gum.”


	6. Tora's To-Do List

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everybody who helped with this list!


End file.
